THE Basingstoke angling family lost two of its members over the last two weeks, Dave Saunders and Bert Miles.

Dave passed away after a short illness, while Bert soldiered on for a few years, not letting on about his terminal illness.

Dave was a member of Kennet Ospreys and Staceys Angling Club of late, but like most anglers he had done the rounds of the clubs.

Bert was a Basingstoke Kingfishers member until its demise, then he joined Staceys AC.

When you met Dave, it became obvious that he was a private person who loved to talk about fishing. Bert, however, was a gregarious person who would talk for hours on anything and everything. He almost convinced me once that the Earth was flat.

Our thoughts are with their families at this time. R.I.P.

Oxoid AC fished Charlies Lake in Andover, where Pete Matthews fished the feeder for 8lb 13oz of mixed. Pete Lovegrove used pole and red maggot for his 8lb 12oz. Geoff North’s 6lb 8oz was a feeder affair, as was Shelton Caswell’s 6lb 4oz.

Eleven fished and caught.

Adventure AS did proper fishing on the Kennet and Avon Canal last Sunday, and it was Lionel Cook who sorted it with 19lb 15oz of skimmers on waggler and caster.

Jake Gallagher’s 19lb 12oz was a skimmer pole and worm affair. Martin Wickens caught 8lb 10oz of roach on the whip and pinkie. Match secretary Nick Sargent included a 5lb 8oz bream on his 7lb 4oz.

Kennet Ospreys match at Bowsaw Lake put Anthony Thomas in the driving seat with 101lb 12oz of carp on the pole and soft pellet. “Top Two” Terry Bowles put 88lb 12oz of carp in the sack using pole and meat. Graham Shadwell’s 86lb 1oz was a feeder jobbie as was Steve Hunt’s 71lb.

Seventeen fished a much-improved venue and all caught.

Camrose AC were at Frobury Farm last week, and it was Darren (Dodgy) Brown who made it two wins in two trips with 38lb of carp on pole and pellet. Pete Morris put 28lb 11oz in the net for second, followed by Pip Seeny’s 24lb 5oz.

Thirteen fished and caught.

Staceys match group were at Old Barlows, where Doug Whitford scored with 13lb 4oz of carp on free-lined maggot. Andy Wicks’ four bream weighed 12lb 8oz. Scott Butler’s 8lb 2oz and Sam Skilton’s 6lb 4oz made up the frame.

Thirteen fished and two did not weigh.

Adventure’s match at Willow Park was won by Trevor Tarrant with four carp for 21lb 6oz on pellet waggler. Mick Fordham caught five carp on the method for 18lb 12oz. Steve Telford’s 15lb 14oz was next, followed by Gary Herman’s 14lb 12oz.

Eighteen fished and caught.

Andy Leith won Kennet Ospreys match at Gold Valley with 65lb 4oz of carp on the method. Ian Jones fished the splasher for his 61lb 13oz, including a 19lb 12oz carp. Bartosz Recki made third with 32lb 12oz, followed by Glen Wills on 23lb 12oz.

Twenty-two fished and some blanked on a patchy venue.

I came down to breakfast last Monday, and ’er indoors said “happy anniversary”. My heart sunk to the pit of my stomach.

“How do you expect me to remember a wedding anniversary after 47 years,” I said.

She didn’t go for it, still a couple of weeks of ’er indoors ignoring me – can’t be bad.

Catch me next week.